The Fellowship of the Ring: Themes

Several themes dominate the moral side of the story, such as Good vs. Evil. The evil side is defined by the fact that Sauron is working to enslave all of Middle Earth for the benefit of Me, Myself, and I, while the good side can be simply defined as everyone working against him or not aiding him. These two sides must clash and one must win, and the good side must not be daunted by the evil that seems so vast. The good side must also overcome greed for the Ring’s power and riches. They must also over come the great differences in the nations that are brought together by the Fellowship. Such as the dwarves, whose greed, despite their great sense of honor, have led them into disfavor with many elves. Ironically, Gimli the dwarf and Legolas the elf quickly became the best of friends. There are also the Men, once great kings but always plagued by the weakness of greed, especially for power. Most randomly, the hobbits are for perhaps the first time, involved in a huge international crisis. Hobbits, very small people with hairy feet, love the quiet and fair weather of their beloved Shire, and breakfast, elevensies, lunch, tea, and supper, and they have never been known for a love of great adventures abroad. Of course, Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin completely break that stereotype, minus the food part. These five represent the Shire and, “this is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great” (303). The Fellowship of the Ring, complete with a wizard, became a band of brothers ready to fight together in the noblest of causes in ridding the world of the Ring. They made the decision to go to accompany Frodo on their own. The easiest decision and the hardest was for Sam, Merry, and Pippin, because although every part of their hobbit nature told them not to go near anything dangerous and this trip means almost certain death, they have an undeniable sense of loyalty to Frodo that made them want to do nothing but go. “All alone and without me to help you? I couldn’t have borne it, it’d have been the death of me” (457), Sam said after stopping Frodo’s last attempt at going off alone to Mordor.